The Russian company Gazprom controls several sites through its subsidiary Astora, particularly in Germany.
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A track leads to the basement. The European Union (EU) wants to calm energy prices, secure its supplies and reduce its ultrapenditance to Russian gas. To do this, it plans to make the filling of its underground stocks mandatory (old deposits, salt cavities, aquifers) at least 80% for the winter 2022 (then 90% for the following).
In France, since 2018, the law already imposes on suppliers to ensure a storage of 85% of their capacities, for the sixteen national sites. “This system has been able to be, at the winter entrance, in a much more favorable situation than other European countries,” says Gilles Doyhamboure, director “trade, regulation and large accounts” of Terega, second operator Hexagonal storage.
After the winter heating period, the continent reservoirs have been dismissed – there are still 29% of capabilities on average. The unprecedented increase in gas market prices addresses brand new filling. Without being necessarily always used, “the EU storage capacities represent about a quarter of its gas consumption” – which was in the order of 400 billion cubic meters in 2021 – recalls Anne-Sophie Raven, researcher at the Global Energy Policy Center at Columbia University (United States).
At the time when the EU is outlining plans to do without Russian hydrocarbons by 2027, Gazprom continues its activities. Not only does it deliver gas every day, but it still holds or manages about 9% of European storage capacities, according to Thierry Bros, Professor at Sciences Po Paris and Question Specialist.
“Europe showed naivety”
Through his subsidiary Astora, the Russian company hitherto controls the huge site of Rehden, in Lower Saxony (west of Germany), as well as that of Jemgum, in the same land. Or that of Haidach, Austria. The energetician also has units or capabilities in the Tanks of Damborice (Czech Republic), Etzel and Katharina (Germany), and Bergermeer (Netherlands).
In October 2021, Rehden suffered a very low fill level: only 5%, “against 87% at the same period” in 2020, specifies a note from the French Institute of International Relations. Mr. Bros interprets him as “a political will of Russia”: “Europe has shown naivety, because the non-filling of the stocks of Gazprom has allowed the Russians to have a structural impact on the market.” According to Bernard Tardieu, vice-president of the energy center of the Academy of Technology, “The Germans had so much confidence that they became dependent on Russians, not only to buy Russian gas, but also to store it”.
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